PREPARE YOUR SESSION
Class planner.
Choose your class, age group and length to plan from your workbooks.
What we’re working towards
B1 controlled walk | B4 three-second balance | B6 landing finish
Warm-up
Prepare
Practise
Reflect
Build toward 10-second practice holds and ask athletes to name the key shape or prerequisite. Use a short demonstration, repeated practice and one correction at a time.
Practice can be adapted; assessment standards and prerequisites stay the same.Balance Islands
Set floor lines and spots. Athletes travel around the space; on the signal they find an island and freeze in straight, star, tuck or passé. Award a class point when every athlete is still for three seconds. Change travel to toe walk, side step or careful backward walk.
Conditioning
Two controlled rounds: 10 toe-walk steps, 8 calf raises, 5-second single-leg hold each side, 6 squat-to-landing-shape repetitions. Younger athletes may hold a wall or foam block.
Use the block as a time limit. Reduce rounds or repetitions for younger athletes and shorter sessions; allow recovery between quality efforts.
Emphasise ankle rocks, calf line, pointed feet, tall straight shape, passé and landing position
- Joint preparationWrist rocks, shoulder circles, ankle rocks and gentle neck awareness. 6-8 controlled repetitions each.
- Lunge lineHalf-kneeling lunge, hamstring fold and straight-leg point/flex. Keep hips controlled.
- Pike and straddleTall pike, butterfly and comfortable straddle reach. Long spine before depth.
- Basic shapesStraight, star, tuck, pike, straddle and lunge. Coach calls; athletes show and freeze.
- Body tensionHollow, arch, front support and rear support. 5 seconds for younger beginners; build toward 10 seconds.
Distribute the 10 minutes across these phases. Use the age adaptation above and comfortable ranges throughout.
Line walk
Walk a taped line forward with arms in a chosen position; pause at each marker.
Cues: Tall head; quiet feet; look ahead.
Easier: Wider floor strip.
Challenge: Carry a beanbag on the shoulder.
Step-freeze
Travel along a floor beam or lowest beam, stopping in a two-foot relevé at three spots.
Cues: Squeeze tall; lower slowly.
Easier: Flat feet on floor line.
Challenge: Add a three-second passé.
Landing target
Straight jump on the floor from a marked start to a landing spot; hold the finish.
Cues: Arms lift; quiet feet; knees track forward.
Easier: Step to the target and freeze.
Challenge: Quarter turn before the landing.
Low-beam pathway
Coach supervises mount, short forward walk, chosen balance and straight jump dismount to a secured mat.
Cues: One at a time; eyes forward; finish for three.
Easier: Floor beam with step-off.
Challenge: Longer walk or passé before dismount.
Ask: Which cue kept you steady? | Who showed patient turn-taking? | What will you make quieter next time?
Learn names and notice controlled effort. Nobody is eliminated from the game.
Update tracker: B1, B4 and B6. Safety check: Use floor or lowest beams, secured landing mats and one-way travel; no athlete mounts Station 4 without the coach.
Update tracker: B1, B4 and B6. Safety check: Use floor or lowest beams, secured landing mats and one-way travel; no athlete mounts Station 4 without the coach.
Check equipment, space, readiness and staffing. Only previously taught, low-risk drills may run independently. Extra time adds practice and recovery, not automatic skill difficulty.
Notes are included in print and download. Download before leaving; plans are not saved automatically.
From Beginner gymnastics Coach Workbook, Week 1. Original 55-minute block timings.